Support for Survivors of Trafficking and Exploitation
Therapy for people who survived being used, controlled, or sold
This space is for people who have survived trafficking, grooming, or exploitation and are now trying to build a life that feels like their own. You may have been controlled through money, threats, lies, family, substances, or promises of love and safety. You may have been moved across town or across states, or never left your neighborhood at all.
On the outside you might look strong, independent, or fine. On the inside you might be dealing with flashbacks, numbness, panic, shame, confusion about what happened, or complicated feelings about the people involved. You may still be in contact with some of them. You may not be ready to call what happened trafficking or exploitation, even if a part of you knows it was.
In this work you are believed. You are not asked to prove your story. We go at your pace and your nervous system’s pace, not anyone else’s agenda.
Who this work is for
Teens and adults who have survived sex trafficking, labor trafficking, sexual exploitation, or long term grooming in person or online. People who were exploited by partners, family members, strangers, or organized groups. People who are still untangling what was choice and what was not.
People who have left and are trying to rebuild. People who have left and gone back. People who are still in contact with exploiters, traffickers, or buyers because life is complicated and safety, housing, and money are real issues. People who feel like no one in their regular life would understand if they knew the full story.
If you have survived situations that were violent, coercive, or confusing and you are tired of carrying it alone, this work is for you.
What we work on together
We work with trauma responses that make sense given what you went through. That can include hypervigilance, dissociation, nightmares, body memories, panic, shutdown, self harm, substance use, or feeling like your body does not belong to you. We also work with guilt, shame, anger, grief, and the part of you that learned to survive by disconnecting from what you were feeling.
We make space for complicated feelings about people who hurt you and people who helped you survive. Nothing has to be all good or all bad. You can talk about things you are not proud of without being treated like a problem or a case file.
Together we work toward safety in your body, more control over your own choices, and a life that is not built around what other people took from you.
What sessions feel like
Sessions are survivor centered, non judgmental, and paced with a lot of care. You choose what to share and what to keep private. You do not have to give graphic details for the work to help. We focus on how your body and life are impacted now and what you need today to feel a little safer and more in control.
Some days we stay practical. That might include planning for safety, handling triggers, navigating court or systems, or managing contact with people who are not safe. Other days we give attention to the younger parts of you, the tired parts, and the parts that still do not believe you deserve anything better.
You are not pushed to talk about anything before you are ready. Your no is respected in this space.
Tools we might use
When and if it feels right, we can use EMDR, Brainspotting, or Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) to help your brain and body process specific memories, images, or sensations that feel stuck. These approaches can reduce the intensity of flashbacks and triggers without requiring you to retell every detail out loud.
We also use grounding, body awareness, and parts based work to support the parts of you that survived, the parts that feel broken, and the part that is trying to build something new. We go slowly and check in often so your system is not overwhelmed.
You decide what feels safe enough to try. Nothing is done to you. Everything is done with you.
All sessions are held online through secure telehealth, which can feel safer for many survivors. You can meet from a space you choose and control, with options for cameras on or off if needed.
I currently see clients who live in Hawaii, Arizona, Washington, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in line with my clinical licenses.
You are allowed to have support that does not blame you for surviving
You do not have to carry what happened alone or keep pretending it did not affect you. If any part of this page feels familiar, that is enough to reach out. We can begin with safety, choice, and what you need most right now.
If you are in immediate danger or need crisis support, please contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline in your area. This therapy space is for ongoing support, not emergency response.